1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to business methods and, more particularly, apparatus and methods to bring molecular diagnostic testing to remote sites.
2. Description of the Related Art
Samples of blood, tissue and biologic fluids are analyzed in the clinical laboratory for molecular, chemical and morphologic features that define both health and disease. Molecular diagnostic tests are now conducted in the clinical laboratory. These molecular diagnostic tests are based in sophisticated technologies that analyze the sequence of nucleic acid, DNA and RNA, as well as protein composition and structure. However, only a limited number of clinical laboratories have the facilities and the expertise to conduct and to interpret molecular diagnostic tests. Clinical laboratories having the capability of conducting molecular diagnostic tests are typically found in academic medical centers and in reference lab companies. Patients requiring a molecular diagnostic test would need to travel, perhaps a great distance, to a clinical laboratory having such capability so that the availability of molecular diagnostic tests is restricted. As a result, molecular diagnostic tests are used typically in the care of patients in tertiary care medical settings.